PC Journal: Tyler Harris has found his scoring touch with Friars

PROVIDENCE — It didn’t long for Tyler Harris to forget all that he accomplished as a freshman in the ACC two seasons ago. Three games, to be exact.Harris tallied 35 points in his freshman year at North...

PROVIDENCE — It didn’t long for Tyler Harris to forget all that he accomplished as a freshman in the ACC two seasons ago. Three games, to be exact.

Harris tallied 35 points in his freshman year at North Carolina State before deciding to transfer. He landed at Providence and in three games he has 38 points (12.6 average) and has seemingly fit into Ed Cooley’s attack seamlessly as a starting forward.

“I’m more mature now and have a lot more confidence now,” Harris said after scoring 13 points in PC’s 93-48 win over Marist on Saturday. “This is the reason I came here. This is the reason why I worked so hard this past year and during the summer. I’m excited about the start of our season.”

The 20-year-old from Dix Hills, N.Y., never scored in double figures as a member of the Wolfpack. He was recruited by one coach (Sidney Lowe) but suited up for another (Mark Gottfried) and said he didn’t feel like his the new staff had him in their plans for the future in Raleigh-Durham. Harris sat out last season at PC as a transfer, testing his game against everyone from LaDontae Henton and Kadeem Batts to NBA draft pick Ricky Ledo.

“I’m getting back into game rhythm and it feels great to be back out there again,” Harris said. “I feel like the year I sat out has paid off a lot. Just getting back out there is great.”

Harris owns a unique set of offensive skills and is being given the green light to score in a variety of ways, but with one proviso: play some defense. He’s often asked to shadow smaller, quicker players and those challenges will only grow as the season unfolds.

“I have to chase those guys around a lot, but it’s hard work. It’s a challenge guarding those guys smaller than me, but I like that challenge,” he said.

Harris says that good defense like the brand Providence played in dominating Marist (32-percent shooting) will only lead to easier scoring chances for him.

“I like to run the floor a lot and get in the open floor and all that comes off our defense,” Harris said. “It’s been effective and as long as our defense keeps improving, it’ll be more effective.”

PC’s Dunk streak

The win was the 29th nonconference victory in a row at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center for the Friars. PC hasn’t lost a non-league home game since being upset by Iona on Dec. 12, 2009.

Truth be told, the Friars have not exactly attracted a Murderer’s Row of opponents over this stretch. Over the last five seasons, the Friars do own two victories over both Rhode Island and Boston College and also one over Alabama. Ed Cooley has said upgrading the home non-league schedule remains a priority but remains a challenge. PC’s best non-league games this season come in true road games (at URI and UMass), a neutral court killer (vs. Kentucky at the Barclays Center) and in this week’s Paradise Jam in St. Thomas where the Friars open against Vanderbilt.

The Friars have a great chance ot extend their home winning streak the rest of this season with only Fairfield, Yale and Maine remaining at The Dunk before Big East play tips off on Dec. 31 versus Seton Hall.

Big East sags

It was not a good day for the new Big East. Marquette, the league’s top team, was stymied at home by No. 10 Ohio State, 52-35. The Golden Eagles scored just 16 second half points. The league is now 0-3 against ranked teams with Georgetown losing to Oregon and St. John’s losing to Wisconsin. In one other games, Seton Hall lost at Mercer, 77-74, in double overtime.

World traveler

Former Friars star Weyinme Efejuku was in town and took in the blowout. Now 27, Efejuku literally travels the world chasing his basketball dreams.

He just finished his second season playing professionally in Puerto Rico for Mayaguez and intends on returning when the season begins in the Caribbean again in the spring. In between his pro seasons, Efejuku is one of the key players on the Jamaican National team. The Jamaicans just returned from a World Cup qualifier with in Venezuela, playing alongside talent such as ex-NBA big men Samardo Samuels, Patrick Ewing Jr. and Jerome James.